The present invention relates to sprinkler systems, and more specifically, to coupling arrangements for sprinkler heads.
One of the main problems with sprinkler systems and plumbing, in general, is providing an efficient and easy to use connection system for specifically joining a sprinkler head to the plumbing of the sprinkler system, with installation speed being minimized. Known couplings and connectors require specific alignment and sealing of threads when joining a sprinkler head to a pipe section. For example, the threads must be wrapped in Teflon® tape or coated with a threaded joint compound prior to sealing the sprinkler head to the pipe section. Especially when replacing a sprinkler head in an already existing and installed sprinkler system, achieving a leak-proof system can be difficult. Improvements have been made over well-known processes, such as sweating and welding of the pipe sections together, but these improvements have not been specifically directed towards joining of the sprinkler head to the sprinkler system. For instance, new improvements allow for crimping of two sections of pipe together in an airtight and watertight fashion. Likewise, connections have been developed to press fit sections of pipe together using mating pipe structures. Still, these advancements have not focused specifically on providing an easy to use connection system for a sprinkler head. Connector means specifically directed toward sprinkler heads have not advanced in the art. The majority of sprinkler heads are threaded into mating coupling sections within the pipe sections.
Another problem when installing sprinkler heads into sprinkler systems is properly aligning the sprinkler heads, especially when installing several sprinkler heads in a long piping arrangement. Threaded designs require the arduous task of aligning the threads when inserting the sprinkler head and then realigning the sprinkler head if the head is not properly orientated with other sprinkler heads in the system. The process may be very time consuming and taxing on the installer.
Some prior art has addressed simplified arrangements for connecting sprinkler heads to piping assemblies. For instance, Bethea, U.S. Pat. No. 6,340,059, contemplates a threadless sprinkler head assembly for attaching a sprinkler head to a pipe conduit. While the invention alleviates problems of threads that must be sealed for a watertight fit and sprinkler heads that may be hard to insert or remove due to corrosion, the assembly is not necessarily the quickest to install. A bracket that surrounds the pipe conduit holds the sprinkler head firmly in place. However, if the pipe conduit does not have sufficient clearance with respect to nearby walls or ceilings, the sprinkler head cannot be easily installed. Likewise, when removing the sprinkler head, the bracket must also be at least partially removed, and alignment of the sprinkler head is not necessarily easier than previous arrangements.
Because the sprinkler head should form a watertight seal with the piping assembly to which it is connected, sprinkler heads have either been soldered within the piping assembly, or threaded within the assembly. While these adaptors provide for the necessary watertight fit, they can cause problems when trying to remove or replace the sprinkler head. For instance, the threads on a threaded sprinkler head may corrode over time, which may make it difficult to remove the sprinkler head. A wrench may be necessary to remove the sprinkler head, and the removal process may strip the threads. Sprinkler heads have not utilized couplings or fittings that are quickly and easily insertable and removable, quickly and easily aligned with other sprinkler heads in a sprinkler system, and provide a watertight fit.